Arkansas saw 38 behavioral health providers added in the latest weekly CMS NPI registry update, representing 1% of the national total. This modest share suggests a steady, rather than surging, growth in the state's behavioral health workforce this week.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the applied behavior analysis sector, the update includes 13 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) but 0 Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and 0 individuals with dual BCBA and RBT credentials. This absence of new BCBAs is notable, as BCBAs are essential for supervising RBTs and expanding ABA service capacity. The data also shows 1 new Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), 2 Licensed Associate Counselors (LACs), and 4 Qualified Behavioral Health Professionals (QBHPs) among other behavioral health credentials. While two providers listed multiple taxonomies, the specific ABA credential counts provided are distinct.
Provider Demographics and Distribution
Among the 35 individual providers, the workforce is predominantly female, with 30 individuals identifying as female, accounting for 86%. 5 male providers make up 14% of the individual additions. No organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data. New providers are distributed across cities including North Little Rock, Jonesboro, Fort Smith, Little Rock, and Springdale.
The addition of RBTs without new BCBA supervisors indicates a potential bottleneck for expanding direct ABA services in Arkansas, highlighting a need for more supervisory-level professionals.
